NASCAR’s New Cup Manufacturer Could Debut by 2027
What’s Happening? After over a year of speculation and rumors, a new report indicates that Dodge could be on track to…
With NASCAR Silly Season heating up, Ty Dillon is the latest driver caught in the crosshairs of the rumor mill, with Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice recently claiming that he and Dillon “have not had any conversations about 2027.”
NASCAR Cup Series veteran Ty Dillon is in his third season at Kaulig Racing and once again surrounded by questions about whether or not he will be with the team next year.
Though Dillon has had little statistical impact during his time with the team, he has been a consistent option for Kaulig and even put up a decent run during the inaugural NASCAR In-Season Challenge in 2025.
Still, things at Kaulig are changing fast.
Last season, the team signed a deal with the Stellantis brand Ram to field five full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entries in 2026, as part of the brand’s return to NASCAR.
While fellow Stellantis-owned brand Dodge has yet to confirm its return to NASCAR, most rumors suggest that when the time comes, Kaulig will be the first team to field Dodges in the sport’s highest level since 2012.
What’s Happening? After over a year of speculation and rumors, a new report indicates that Dodge could be on track to…
With this, there are some questions about Dillon’s future with the team. Fellow veteran A.J. Allmendinger is signed with the team through 2029 with an option well into the 2030s.
What’s Happening? Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice recently shared the fine details of veteran NASCAR Cup Series driver A.J. Allmendinger’s long-term…
Dillon is known to be on a contract year, and just weeks ago, prior to the Cup Series race at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado, Kaulig CEO Chris Rice said that discussions had begun with Dillon about 2027.
“We’ve started some conversations with Ty. [There’s] some things going on behind the scenes that we have to work through before we can finish conversations with the ten car.” — Chris Rice, June 21
Still, it seems that tone has changed, as during a recent interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Rice claimed that he has not had any discussions with Dillon about next season, stating:
“He [Dillon] and I have not had any conversations about 2027. . . what we’ve talked about is getting better this year, we’ve talked about what is happening right now. We’re only in July, okay? And we at our race team, we do things different than everybody else. But I know the noise is his future is unknown. He’s had a one-year deal with us the entire time he’s been here. ” — Chris Rice
Following this interview, most fans in online NASCAR groups agreed that this does not sound optimistic for Dillon’s future with the team.
Still, Rice did add that he appreciates what Ty has done at Kaulig and admitted he has been fast but has not had the finishes to compare to his teammate, A.J. Allmendinger.
“Ty has run really, really fast; he just hasn’t had the finishes,” Rice said. “He’s done things he needed to do inside our race team. He’s one of the coolest, nicest people you’ve ever dealt with. I absolutely love Ty Dillon. I think he is awesome by a program, and it all comes down to what happens next, right?”
What’s Happening? NASCAR drivers, much like any athletes, have a period of free agency and multi-million dollar contracts. Based on information…
If he were to leave the team, it would mark another difficult move for the 34-year-old driver in the 2020s.
Since the closure of his long-time home Germain Racing at the conclusion of the 2020 season, Dillon has bounced from a part-time driver with Toyota, to Petty GMS Racing, to Spire Motorsports, to the Truck Series, and back to Cup.
This week, a well-known NASCAR rumor account added fuel to this fire with a post stating that Dillon won’t be back next year, adding that there were similar rumors last season.
What’s Happening? As NASCAR Silly Season continues to heat up, the rumor mill is suggesting that another Cup Series veteran could…
While his options could be limited in 2027, given his consistent sponsorship and ties to his grandfather’s race team, Richard Childress Racing, it’s easy to suspect that he could land on his feet if he is truly out at Kaulig.
Still, the team has yet to confirm his departure or any roster change at any level for 2027.
Still, fans recently theorized that Dillon’s status with the team could be based on what brand of car the team fields in 2027.
What’s Happening? One major storyline to follow during the 2025 and 2026 NASCAR seasons is the ongoing saga of Dodge and…
Of course, as of the past few weeks, Rice has made it clear that Dodge has not committed to returning to the sport in 2027, though they would like to.
What’s Happening? Kaulig Racing CEO Chris Rice says that Dodge has still “not committed” to returning to NASCAR in 2027, despite…
Furthermore, the short list of names that have been thrown around as potential Cup Series returnees has not featured Dillon.
For one, some theories point to in-house veterans and current Ram Truck Series drivers like Justin Haley and Corey LaJoie as potential easy replacements for Dillon.
Both drivers have a consistent history with the Next Gen Car and a reputation at the Cup Series level; still, the same could be said for Dillon.
Nonetheless, until Kaulig confirms any changes to its lineup for 2027, this is mere speculation.
What’s Happening? With talks that Dodge could be on its way back to the NASCAR Cup Series by 2027, a few…
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